


Better or Worse?

by Satine86



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Huddling For Warmth, Pre-Relationship, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 16:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17125076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Satine86/pseuds/Satine86
Summary: There were worse situations, she reasoned.





	Better or Worse?

**Author's Note:**

> Oldish tumblr prompt: reluctantly cuddling.

There were worse situations, she reasoned. The shuttle could have gone down on any number of inhospitable planets, with any number of hostile locals. It could have been severely damaged beyond repair, as it was only the comms were beyond her engineering abilities. All she needed to repair the shuttle was some light to see what the hell she was doing, and a hyperspanner. And an extra pair of hands. Preferably ones that didn’t belong to someone who couldn’t stop running their damn mouth!

But that was where the problem lie. Because of all the people she could have been stranded with, she was currently stuck with one Thomas Paris. Who couldn’t seem to keep quiet, and who couldn’t seem to focus on the task at hand no matter how many times she yelled. So when the storm hit without warning, they were behind on repairing the shuttle and unable to take off until it was over. 

So while there _were_ worse situations, in that moment she was finding that knowledge to be a very poor consolation. Especially since she had barely been started on the repairs, which meant they were currently stuck inside the still dark, still utterly useless shuttle. Thunder rolled outside, a loud booming crash. It was only the fact that she was already on edge that she startled. Then there was a flash of light, bright enough to illuminate the interior of the shuttle. Along with Tom’s face, carefully studying her from across the way, before the light was extinguished and they were plunged into darkness again. 

“What?” she snapped. 

“Whoa,” he laughed. “Nothing.”

B’Elanna blinked a couple of times to let her eyes readjust to the darkness, and could just barely make out his form. He had his hands up, placating. That annoyed her even more. 

“I wonder how long it’ll last?” he asked eventually, breaking the strained silence that had settled over them. 

“Too long.” She brought her knees up, wrapped her arms a little more tightly around herself. Suddenly it seemed as if the temperature had dropped. A chill ran down her back just as another flash of lightning lit up the sky. 

“Cold?” he asked. 

“No.”

“We could always huddle together for warm.” She could practically hear the smug smile in his voice. 

“If you come anywhere near me I will show you new and inventive uses for a hyperspanner.” 

He sighed loudly. “Look, I’m sorry okay? If I had known a storm was coming I wouldn’t have–”

“Goofed off?” she supplied. Still annoyed. 

“I wouldn’t have goofed off,” he conceded. 

B’Elanna thought it over for a moment and shivered again. “Apology accepted.” 

“Still cold?” 

Now it was her turn to sigh, conceding as well. “Yes.” 

There was bit of careful shuffling as they tried to find each other in the darkness. Finally he settled next to her against the hull, and very slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Against her better judgment, B’Elanna found herself cuddling against his side. He _was_ pleasantly warm. 

"Better?" he asked.

“If you mention this to anyone, I will follow through on the hyperspanner threat.” 

“My lips are sealed.”


End file.
